Japanese folklore describes the Kasha as humanoid cat-demons with the head of a cat or tiger and a burning tail. They are similar to other demons such as Nekomata and Bakeneko and get often interchanged with them. Kashas are said to travel the world on burning chariots or barouches, stealing the corpses of recently deceased humans, which were not yet buried and who had been sinful in life. They bring their souls to hell.[1] [2][3]
Bakeneko (化け猫, "monster-cat"), in Japanese folklore, refers to cat yōkai (spiritual beings) with supernatural abilities akin to those of the kitsune (fox) or tanuki (raccoon dog).
There are a number of superstitions that detail how ordinary cat may transform into a bakeneko. Bakeneko then haunt and menace their household.
A bakeneko with a forked tail is referred to as a nekomata (猫又, or 猫股 "forked-cat"). The popular good luck totem, the Maneki Neko (招き猫, "Beckoning Cat") found in shop fronts, is also a type of bakeneko. [1]
Most of the stories about the bakeneko are told orally in Japan.
Once transformed, bakeneko gain a range of paranormal powers. These powers are used to haunt the household they live in. They include:
- menacing (even eating) sleeping humans
- walking on its hind legs
- flying
- talking
- creating ghostly fireballs
- leaping over a fresh corpse, turning it into a zombie
- shapeshifting into human forms
There are many legends about the bakeneko.
One famous bakeneko story is about a man named Takasu Genbei. Read the legends
Nekomata (jap. 猫股 or 猫又; meaning ‘forked cat’) is the name of a fictitious being from japanese mythology. It is said to be a lower form of a bakeneko (a high ranged cat-demon).
Nekomata are popular motivs in manga and anime today. A well known fictitious Nekomata of modern times is "Kirara" from the novel and anime-series InuYasha (written by Takahashi Rumiko).
